Pokémon-ex cards return to the Pokémon TCG in 2023 with Scarlet & Violet series
Both of the motorcycle monsters will grace an EX-card, along with plenty others
The 2022 Pokémon World Championships might be over, but that hasn’t stopped fresh news from rolling in. The inaugural Scarlet & Violet series for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, set to release in 2023, will reintroduce ex cards with a shiny crystal makeover.
Ex cards first appeared in the Pokémon TCG back in 2003 as the main mechanic of EX Ruby and Sapphire. Sixteen EX sets and expansions followed over the next four years, ending with 2007’s EX Power Keepers. More powerful than regular Pokémon, ex cards boasted a higher HP and harder hitting attacks that were balanced out by the rule that an opponent collected two prize cards whenever knocking out a Pokémon-ex.
When Pokémon TCG’s Scarlet & Violet Series launches in 2023, it will bring back Pokémon-ex flavoured with some crystalline aesthetics to match the terastel phenomenon present in the franchise’s upcoming video game entries. Five Pokémon-x were teased during the announcement video, which aired during the 2022 Pokémon World Championships. Players will be able to find Lucario, Magnezone, Mimikyu and the two new legendary dragons - Miraidon and Koraidon - in their ex forms. Ostensibly, any Stage 1 and Stage 2 evolutions will also come in the ex flavour, as they have previously been needed to evolve a Pokémon-ex.
The press release stated that “comebacks” will be a recurring theme in the trading card game’s Scarlet & Violet Series, and other card types - Energy, Trainers and other Pokémon - will play into that theme. Pokémon-ex can swing a match in their player’s favour, and past sets released during the EX era included Pokémon cards with specific attacks that inflicted more damage or debilitating effects on the burly cardboard critters.
Additionally, all of the other generation’s trademark phenomena, such as Dynamax, Mega evolutions and Z-moves have made appearances on cards, so it’s not impossible the upcoming game’s terastal effect - which manifests as multifaceted crystals and elaborate gem structures will be tied into EX’s return.
The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG will wrap up with its last set planned for later this year. ComicBook reports that Japan will launch the first Scarlet & Violet series near the end of 2022, but other regions shouldn’t expect to be cracking packs full of Pokémon-ex until after the upcoming holidays.
No set release has been provided, which puts it in the same category as the still anticipated Pokémon TCG live video game that will allow players to access digital matches on mobile devices and PCs. For more Pokémon TCG news, check out this list of the five best standard decks going into the 2022 World Championship and the odd announcement of a reality show based on the card game coming in the future.